John Ridley Says He Didn't Snub Steve McQueen During Oscars

"12 Years a Slave" writer John Ridley, who won an Oscar on Sunday night for his work in adapting Solomon Northup's title memoir, says he did not leave director Steve McQueen out of his acceptance speech on purpose.

McQueen tapped Ridley to work on a separate slavery-themed project that eventually led to “12 Years a Slave” after McQueen’s wife discovered the book, which Ridley subsequently agreed to adapt on spec. McQueen had a hand in shaping the script that Ridley turned in, but when he asked the writer for shared credit — not uncommon in Hollywood — Ridley politely declined, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap.

According to TheWrap, McQueen went to "12 Years a Slave" studio Fox Searchlight to appeal for credit, but was denied. (TheWrap story also makes reference to McQueen reportedly yelling at Ridley's wife during the BAFTA Awards and making her cry. While some incident did happen at BAFTA, Page Six reports that it was a "misunderstanding" and McQueen later apologized.)

McQueen has not made public comment on his snub of Ridley at the Oscars -- whom he also failed to thank at the BAFTA Awards -- but the director did express gratitude to the screenwriter at the Golden Globes. McQueen's representatives told HuffPost Entertainment that they had no comment on this report.